DIVISION 10. Cannabis [26000 - 26231.2]

CHAPTER 10. Testing Laboratories [26100 - 26106]

(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, cannabis or cannabis products shall not be sold pursuant to a license provided for under this division unless a representative sample of the cannabis or cannabis products has been tested by a licensed testing laboratory.

(b) The bureau shall develop criteria to determine which batches shall be tested. All testing of the samples shall be performed on the final form in which the cannabis or cannabis product will be consumed or used.

(c) Testing of batches to meet the requirements of this division shall only be conducted by a licensed testing laboratory.

(d) For each batch tested, the testing
laboratory shall issue a certificate of analysis for selected lots at a frequency determined by the bureau with supporting data, to report both of the following:

(1) Whether the chemical profile of the sample conforms to the labeled content of compounds, including, but not limited to, all of the following, unless limited through regulation by the bureau:

(A) Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

(B) Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (THCA).

(C) Cannabidiol (CBD).

(D) Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA).

(E) The terpenes required by the bureau in regulation.

(F) Cannabigerol (CBG).

(G) Cannabinol (CBN).

(H) Any other compounds or contaminants required by the bureau.

(2) That the presence of contaminants does not exceed the levels established by the bureau. In establishing the levels, the bureau shall consider the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia monograph, guidelines set by the Department of Pesticide Regulation pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 26060, and any other relevant sources. For purposes of this paragraph, “contaminants” includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Residual solvent or processing chemicals.

(B) Foreign material, including, but not limited to, hair, insects, or similar or related adulterant.

(C) Microbiological impurities as identified by the bureau in regulation.

(e) Standards for residual levels of volatile organic compounds shall be established by the bureau.

(f) The testing laboratory shall conduct all testing required by this section in a manner consistent with general requirements for the competence of testing and calibrations activities, including sampling and using verified methods.

(g) All testing laboratories performing tests pursuant to this section shall obtain and maintain ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation as required by the bureau in regulation.

(h) If a test result falls outside the specifications authorized by law or regulation, the testing laboratory shall follow a
standard operating procedure to confirm or refute the original result.

(i) A testing laboratory shall destroy the remains of the sample of medical cannabis or medical cannabis product upon completion of the analysis, as determined by the bureau through regulations.

(j) Any presale inspection, testing transfer, or transportation of cannabis products pursuant to this section shall conform to a specified chain of custody protocol and any other requirements imposed under this division.

(k) This division does not prohibit a licensee from performing testing on the licensee’s premises for the purposes of quality assurance of the product in conjunction with reasonable business operations. This
division also does not prohibit a licensee from performing testing on the licensee’s premises of cannabis or cannabis products obtained from another licensee. Onsite testing by the licensee shall not be certified by the bureau and does not exempt the licensee from the requirements of quality assurance testing at a testing laboratory pursuant to this section.

(a) A licensed testing laboratory shall, in performing activities concerning cannabis and cannabis products, comply with the requirements and restrictions set forth in applicable law and regulations.

(b) The bureau shall develop procedures to do all of the following:

(1) Ensure that testing of cannabis and cannabis products occurs prior to distribution to retailers, microbusinesses, or nonprofits licensed under Section 26070.5.

(2) Specify how often licensees shall test cannabis and cannabis products, and that the cost of testing cannabis shall be borne by the licensed cultivators and the cost of testing cannabis products shall be borne
by the licensed manufacturer, and that the costs of testing cannabis and cannabis products shall be borne by a nonprofit licensed under Section 26070.5.

(3) Require destruction of harvested batches whose testing samples indicate noncompliance with health and safety standards required by the bureau, unless remedial measures can bring the cannabis or cannabis products into compliance with quality assurance standards as specified by law and implemented by the bureau.

(4) Ensure that a testing laboratory employee takes the sample of cannabis or cannabis products from the distributor’s premises for testing required by this division and that the testing laboratory employee transports the sample to the testing laboratory.

(c) Except as provided in this division, a testing laboratory shall not acquire or receive cannabis or
cannabis products except from a licensee in accordance with this division, and shall not distribute, sell, or dispense cannabis or cannabis products, from the licensed premises from which the cannabis or cannabis products were acquired or received. All transfer or transportation shall be performed pursuant to a specified chain of custody protocol.

(d) A testing laboratory may receive and test samples of cannabis or cannabis products from a qualified patient or primary caregiver only if the qualified patient or primary caregiver presents the qualified patient’s valid physician’s recommendation for cannabis for medicinal purposes. A testing laboratory shall not certify samples from a qualified patient or primary caregiver for resale or transfer to another party or licensee. All tests performed by a testing laboratory for a qualified patient or primary caregiver shall be recorded with the name of the qualified patient or primary caregiver and the
amount of cannabis or cannabis product received.

Manufacturing Level 2 licensees shall enact sufficient methods or procedures to capture or otherwise limit risk of explosion, combustion, or any other unreasonably dangerous risk to public safety created by volatile solvents. The State Department of Public Health shall establish minimum standards concerning such methods and procedures for Level 2 licensees.

Standards for the production, packaging, and labeling of all cannabis products developed by the State Department of Public Health apply to all licensed manufacturers and microbusinesses, and nonprofits licensed under Section 26070.5, unless otherwise specified by the State Department of Public Health.